


Empress Adora

by MinaAffairs



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst, Body Horror, Dark, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Evil Adora, F/F, F/M, Lasciate ogne speranza voi ch'intrate, M/M, Multi, Physical Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements, waking surgery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:48:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 43
Words: 20,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23149546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinaAffairs/pseuds/MinaAffairs
Summary: Horde Prime promised Peace and Order for the universe, and in the end that is all Adora has ever truly wanted. Is it not right to use her power to aid him when he appears to be the only one willing to do what needs to be done to make the universe right?
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra/Horde Prime (She-Ra), Adora/Horde Prime (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)
Comments: 34
Kudos: 150





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Big Darkfic originally serialized in my Discord server, now available to the world. Written organically as feedback for previous portions came in. It's bad for the sake of being bad.

The yell of pain echoes out through the throne room, immediately shifting Catra's attention from watching for incoming clones to the sound. While Hordak wasn't watching, busy speechifying at his brother, Adora had slid in and slammed her shockstaff into the back of his legs, sending electricity surging through him and bringing him to his knees. Everyone had turned to them in shock. Bow, Glimmer, Catra, and Entrapta. 

"Adora?!" Glimmer almost sputters in shock "what are you doing?!" 

"What I said I would do when I joined the rebellion." Adora says. "Stopping Hordak."

Prime smirks from his throne, then laughs and stands. "Ah yes, did Adora not inform you all? She has seen the truth, that only my regime can bring the peace and order your world needs." Catra's mind is immediately racing. There's no way. Goody goody Adora? 

Hordak growls and begins to rise only for Adora to slam her staff into the back of his head, sending him sprawling forward. Catra hears Entrapta shout out at her, a pathetic. "STOP! STOP HURTING HIM!" The princess can barely do anything, she had been captured earlier, her hair sheared to make her manageable.

Adora smirks and looks over at the Princess, then at Catra. "Restrain her Catra." Her voice is even, in control. It's calm, none of Adora's normal worry and panic and general anxiousness is present. This was planned. It only takes Catra a moment to analyze the situation. To reaffirm the analysis that this was planned, that there's probably no way out of here. So she quickly moves to Entrapta and grabs the Princess from behind before she can even really react. Immediately Entrapta is writhing, struggling, but without her hair to help her she simply doesn't have the training to break Catra's hold even with her strength.

Adora simply nods and looks up at Prime. "My Sword?" She asks him.

"Of course." He replies with a smile, gesturing for a clone attendant to step down with said sword in hand. The Sword of Protection, recovered and repaired with Horde technology. Except it wasn't recovered, Catra realizes, Adora gave it over to Prime.

Adora takes it, spinning the blade in her hand and holding it aloft with a deep breath. The light washes over her, and She-Ra stands before the group. "Let's end this." She says, almost sounding relieved.

"Adora no!" Entrapta calls out. "Please!" She's struggling even more in Catra's grip, but quickly wearing herself out, watching with wide terrified eyes as Hordak tries to pick himself up again, growling and glaring at Adora. Catra wants to share Entrapta's horror. This is wrong. 

Glimmer seems to agree with Entrapta more openly, stumbling backwards away from her friend. "Adora..." She speaks up, relatively quietly. "Adora don't do this. We had a plan..."

"I had a plan." Adora finally cuts them off, correcting them. "While the rest of you bumbled around and hurt people while having fun and playing games I made a plan." She glances back to the throne. "With Prime."

"You traitor." Hordak hisses out from his knees.

"No." Adora's gaze shoots back to him, eyes steely and ready. "You're the traitor Hordak. Prime only wants order, and you... You're the opposite of that." She readies the sword and thrusts it forward. The sound of a blade cutting through metal and then flesh. Hordak's gasp and widening eyes. He sputters blood. Then Adora drags the sword up, through him and his armor. The sound is sickening. Catra has seen injury, death, she led the Horde on Etheria after all, but somehow this moment is worse. It's not really Hordak's death for Catra. It's the death of everything else with him.

Entrapta screams. No words. She simply screams. Tears fill her eyes as she watches Adora bring her boot up and kick Hordak off of her blade, his limp body falling to the ground uselessly. His eyes go dim. No movement. No defiance. Only death. 

Glimmer covers her mouth. Tears welling in her eyes at the sight of her friend doing this so callously. "Bow." Catra's sensitive ears can hear her hiss out, just barely. "Run." The Queen commands.

Bow hesitates for only a moment before doing what Glimmer commands, then a single moment later she follows. They'll make their way off of the ship in time, they have to. At least that's what Catra hopes for, even as she holds Entrapta. Then they'lll feel the weight of what they just witnessed. The weight of the fact that they apparently never even knew one of their best friends. Catra's felt that twice now.

Adora simply flicks her blade to clean it, watching him run. Prime speaks from behind her, standing and walking forward finally. "We will capture him." He says calmly as he moves down and looks at the corpse of his brother. "A shameful waste of flesh." He comments. "I should have had him sent to reclamation ages ago instead of giving him chances to be useful."

"We've all given people that didn't deserve it chances." Adora comments. "It was kind of you." She adds as she walks over to Catra and Entrapta. The princess has finally tired herself out, hanging limp with tears falling from her face. Catra feels uncomfortable and she knows that she looks it but she continues to do what she has been ordered. She has to survive.

"You may let her go, Catra."

Entrapta is dropped almost immediately. The princess falls to the ground, then crawls her way to Hordak's side. It seems to be of little concern to Adora, she apparently has a much more important focus. "I knew you'd understand what to do Catra." Adora smiles, reaching out to stroke Catra's cheek. "Rule this place together, remember?"

Catra shivers, but nods. "Y-yeah... I figured it out just in time."

"You'll be greatly rewarded, I promise." Adora nods, her voice calm and kind. "You will love this."


	2. Chapter 2

Catra had never really been in Bright Moon before the end of the war. Before the end of the world as she knew it. Now she walks through it at Adora's side. Assured she belongs. She belongs because this world is Adora's, and she is Adora's.

The royal guards of Bright Moon are long gone. Replaced by clones in Adora's colors. White and gold with yellow eyes. Catra herself wears something similar now, a bodysuit not unlike her old ones but made to match She-Ra The throne room sits empty, the queen does not rule anymore.

Not really.

The queen and the princesses are simply part of the machine of Etheria. Conduits for the planets energies. Controlled and regulated with the amalgamation of First One's and Horde technology.

Recently Glimmer did something inexcusable though. The Queen saw fit to kill herself. No doubt it was some attempt to try and disable Etheria and its weapon.

Now Adora steps across the planet again, with Catra at her side. Because in the Empire death is not certain. One can end themselves, or be ended, only to awaken in a new body. Cloned from stock, kept ready to receive a transfer of the mind. 

Catra has felt it. This isn't her first body. It likely will not be her last.

She's never tried to take her own life. She knows better. Adora would be so angry, and Adora is generally actually pretty good to her. If only her. No, Catra's been killed by others. Those wanting to hurt Adora, Once by Adora herself.

It was not in anger on Adora's part. The Empress had not really meant to do it. She had been experimenting with Catra, pushing the limits of their copulation as Prime suggested they try. Adora knew Catra would be okay.

That's the mantra Catra tells herself constantly to try and keep herself together. Adora knew she would be okay. Adora will always keep her safe and alive.

Adora knew it would be okay.

Even if it hurt.

Queen Glimmer is locked away in her Chambers, and when Catra and Adora enter she glares up at them from the floor where she's sitting. She's covered in First One's Runes and some implanted Horde Tech. All meant to keep her in line, and to keep her functional. To ensure she does not do anything to jeopardize the weapon.

"Glimmer." Adora says as she walks in. Long strides let her cross the threshold and the room in short order. She's always in the form of She-Ra now. She can pull power from Etheria remotely, from anywhere in the universe. She never lets that power go anymore. "We need to talk!"

"We have nothing to talk about Adora." Glimmer nearly spits. Looking at Catra for only a moment before Catra averts her gaze. She doesn't get along with the others from Etheria. They see her as having shacked up with Adora and Prime. They all look at Catra and see that she took another chance to throw everyone away for her own betterment. A traitor in every sense.

Even Hordak gets more sympathy in his death these days.

"Oh but we actually do Glimmer!" Adora speaks, stepping forward. "Your little stunt took my weapon offline for an unacceptable amount of time."

"Etheria is not Your Weapon Adora! It's our home!" 

"It can be both" the Empress counters quickly.

"No Adora! It can't! You know it too! Why else do you spend almost no time on Etheria?!" Glimmer shouts. This will not end well. 

"I have an Empire to oversee and expand." Adora says calmly, stepping forward now. 

Glimmer seems to realize her outburst has been a mistake as Adora approaches. The queen shrinks back a bit. "Adora I just... This is wrong..."

Adora's hand then trails across Glimmer's cheek. "Oh Glimmer. It's perfectly right. Etheria is at peace, prosperous. Everything we fought for! My world is the jewel of the empire, and Glimmer you are queen. I let you do anything you want here and all I ask is for your loyalty. Your obedience." A smile forms on the Empress' expression. "Your friendship."

Glimmer visibly shudders. "Adora..."

Then adora's hand squeezes Glimmers face. "I do hope we're still friends Glimmer. I think we are, and because of that I'm willing to forgive this mistake you've made. Doesn't that sound nice? Forgiveness?"

"Y-yeah..."

"Good." She releases the Queen and stands back up. "Have your chefs prepare something if you would Glimmer. While we're here I want to let Catra enjoy the fine Bright Moon experience." She smiles back at the feline. "Doesn't that sound amazing Catra?"

"Y-yeah Adora. Anything with you sounds awesome." She stammers out quickly.

"I'm really glad you think so."


	3. Chapter 3

Exhausted. Catra is exhausted. Her entire body aches, it hurts. Naked, drenched in sweat, raw. The only thing on her is the collar that never comes off and the leash connecting her to the bed. She feels the hand stroke down her back. It makes her flinch, curl up a little on her side.

"Aww" the voice speaks, shifting on the bed behind her. Catra wants to turn and swipe. Cut the other woman open. She doesn't though, she holds herself back and instead simply trembles. The voice continues. "It's okay Catra."

Catra only squeezes her eyes closed. Adora's voice is not a comfort. Not at all.

The hand moves and strokes Catra's cheek. "You know I love you. That's why I play so rough with you, you're my favorite." She coos. Then leans over and kisses Catra on that same cheek she was just caressing, and despite herself Catra actually feels herself relax into the kiss just a little. She yearns for that gentleness at the same time that she wants to pull away from it. Why can't the gentle touches just have been her life?

Adora seems to notice the positive reason though. "Ah I see. My little cat just needs a little bit of gentle affection. That will bring her back around." Adora coos. 

Catra locks up as she feels Adora kiss the back of her head, as she feels Adora press softly against her back. As she feels adora's arm move to hold her. Then she feels herself relaxing into the gentle embrace. The promise of what this could be crashing into her.

She begins to tear up, to sniffle, to cry, to sob.

And she hears Adora let out a small satisfied "Mmm." 

The Empress is pleased with the reaction Catra's giving her.

"It's amazing the things I've learned, realized." Adora speaks. "The things that Prime has taught me to enjoy." She says as her hands trail over Catra's body. Kissing the felines neck. 

Catra whimpers slightly. "Adora please..."

"The beautiful moments like these. The joy of you wanting me to leave you in peace for a night, and saying No." Adora grins now. "Telling you no as you stand at your most vulnerable, watching and feeling my response flow through you. Seeing the tiny movements, the pull of the muscles in your face as you try to maintain a facade of acceptance. As you try so desperately to ensure that I do not see how much you hate my response." 

Adora's hand slips down between Catra's thighs now. 

"It's delectable. A taste I never would have thought to enjoy before Prime." She kisses Catra's neck, biting lightly. "Aren't you glad you opened the portal, and brought him here, Catra?"


	4. Chapter 4

Prime's finger trails down Adora's back. Along her spine, her well muscled form. Her own hand feels at the skin around the metal sheathes of his interface tendrils. "You feel remarkably relaxed today my dear." Prime notes.

"I am. It feels good to finally see things running properly on Etheria, on my world." She smiles at the thought. "My World. I don't think I ever thought I'd actually say that, or like saying it."

"Ah but is it not a wonderful thing?" Prime asks smoothly. "and it is only the first of many. An Empress of this Empire must conquer after all." He smirks. "Well, more than just conquering her pets at least."

Adora laughs at that, looking up at the Emperor and reaching up to feel along his cheek, his texture. "Is Horde Prime jealous of my consort?" 

"Not at all. I in fact love that you have gotten so much enjoyment out of your toy." He says. "in fact, if you would like, she may join us. I do know that you have a preference for her, physically."

A pleased 'mmm' escapes Adora. She she kisses Horde Prime on his bare chest before nodding. "I think that's a brilliant idea, My Emperor."

Yet for Catra there is little worse than those nights she is made to lay with Horde Prime. As rough and dominating as Adora has become at least the Empress is familiar, at least Catra can pretend that at some level Adora must still care about her. Horde Prime though? He does not care. He doesn't even see her as a person.

In this shared bed Catra is viewed as little more than an animal, a pet, a toy. To be enjoyed and tossed to the floor for an attendant to retrieve. It is these nights which devolve into little more than tears, quiet sobs, and the feeling of Prime thrusting into her again and again. His hands grasping her, holding her painfully as he uses her as little more than a fucktoy. 

It is worse when Adora is there. When the Empress smiles at Catra as if nothing is wrong. When she kisses Catra and tells her she's doing so good. Even worse, when she kisses Prime and tells him she's happy to see him enjoying Catra as well. Adora's presence makes it worse, because Adora's presence confirms that the woman Catra once loved is not there anymore.

It confirms that Adora does not care about her, not as a person. That Adora sees Catra as little more than an animal, a pet, a toy. 

At least Catra is her favorite one


	5. Chapter 5

"Do you like it?" Adora asks from across the table. Smiling expectantly at Catra. It makes the cat fidget slightly in her seat. She doesn't have to lie this time though, so at least there's that. Honestly this evening's been one of the nice ones so far and that's something of a blessing to say the least.

"Yeah." She finally smiles a little. "Thank you Adora. For dinner."

"Of course Catra." Adora nods. "I thought you'd like it. You're familiar with this dish."

Catra blinks and looks back up from her plate. "I've never had this before Adora..." Concern tints her voice 

"Oh, not as a meal no." Adora laughs a little, her utensil taking some of the meat from her plate and popping it into her mouth. "But as a friend. Scorpia. She tried something rather nasty and had to be punished. Don't worry her consciousness is safe and sound on Etheria again, but her previous body... Well Prime gave me this suggestion as a way to recycle it. I think it came out lovely. Don't you?"

Catra gags, having to push away from the table. Horror and shock and disgust fill her. Oh Etheria. Not this. Please. Please no.

"Please go to the bathroom if you're going to be sick Catra." Adora just continues to smile at her.

The Adora Catra knew is dead.


	6. Chapter 6

"You have been purposely delaying our upgrades to the planet Entrapta." Adora's voice is cold, harsh. She promised Prime she would take care of this. She wants to take care of it. She is unhappy. "I gave you a position far more prestigious than you deserve, especially after your attempts to help a clone free himself."

She sees Entrapta shudder and shrink slightly. "His name was Hordak Adora, you know that."

"He was a defect Entrapta! You know that as well as I do." Adora scoffs. "But you're obsessed with a dead clone. Don't think that we don't know you stole away the body entrapta." Now she steps closer to the Princess, her large form looming over the princess with the sheared purple hair.

"He was my friend..."

"You don't have friends, Entrapta. Finish the work." Adora cuts her off 

Entrapta is silent for a moment, avoiding Adora's gaze. "It will cause a lot of damage, doing things too fast, we should run more models an-"

Adora starts laughing. "Don't. Just don't Entrapta. Don't act like you have some code of ethics, morals, any sort of care for the random people of Etheria. You never did. Do what you do best Entrapta. Focus on the work, on the experiment, on progress."

There's a long pause after that. Entrapta trembling slightly under Adora's piercing gaze. Her mouth opens and closes a few times, trying to form some thought. Some idea. Adora then decides this is taking too long. Her hand shoots out and grabs Entrapta by her short hair. Tugging her head upward to meet her gaze. At the same time Adora kneels down. "You know what Entrapta? I think we need to illustrate a point."

Entrapta begins to try and struggle. Her hands move up to try and pry Adora's grip open. She even tries to hit Adora's arm. The Empress barely notices it. The magics of a planet flow through her. Entrapta is nothing in comparison.

But the defiance cannot stand.

She suddenly pulls and throws Entrapta onto the ground. Eliciting a squeal of fear and pain from the scientist. "You do not hit your ruler!" Adora barks out. Her boot comes down onto Entrapta's back, holding her on the ground and kneeling down. Then Adora tsks. "Entrapta I'm starting to think you've been delaying your work on purpose. Here I thought you of all people would appreciate the amazing opportunity I've given you." She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Of course not though. You're like the rest. Some idea that this isn't the best path for Etheria. That I'm not the best path for Etheria."

"Adora..." Entrapta whimpers out 

"But if you won't accept that what we're doing is good, then I'll just have to make you accept that you are mine and you do not have a choice here."

"No! I understand!" Entrapta suddenly shouts, starting to squirm again. Starting to try and push herself up off the ground. Adora simply puts more of her weight down on the struggling princess, forcing her face back down onto the metal floor.

"No I don't think you do Entrapta. If you did you wouldn't be struggling." Adora shifts her body once more, taking her boot off of Entrapta and replacing it with her knee as she kneels down ever further. Fingers once more lacing themselves through Entrapta's hair, holding the princesses head down. Turning it to the side so Adora can look at it. The Empress hovers close to Entrapta's face, speaking quietly now. "You have it so good here. We've even let you keep the corpse you're so obsessed with. Just because we assumed you'd understand the nature of your position." Adora tsks. "I think it's finally time to take it from you, and send the biomass down to reclamation."

That elicits an immediate scream, a screech really, from Entrapta. She bucks and tries to push back up against Adora with all she has. Adora actually feels it. A smile spreads across the Empress' face at the sudden fight in the princess. It's somewhat invigorating. Such push back, actual attempts at a fight. Sure it's annoying and pointless but it is so genuine and it gives Adora an excuse to stretch her strength a little. She moves to let Entrapta get free for just a moment, only to take that freedom away and throw the princess into a nearby work table.

One of the many flavors of life that Adora has learned from Horde Prime. Play with your prey.

It is not much of a fight. Entrapta is fast, strong, brilliant, but she is emotional and untrained. She also lacks the greatest weapon she ever had, her hair. Still Adora finds some fun in it. Tossing this near worthless princess around. Slamming fists into her. Bruising and breaking the older woman.

"Isn't it interesting Entrapta? How no one's coming for you? Do you know why Entrapta?" Her fingers surge forward and wrap around the princesses throat. "It's because I'm the only person left who even cares about you." 

She can see the tears in Entrapta's eyes, trailing down her cheeks. "Please..." Entrapta wheezes out. "Don't take him..."

Adora smiles. "I have to take something Entrapta." She states. "It's only fair. You've taken my time after all."

Entrapta whimpers. "Anything. Just... Not him... Please..." 

Then Adora nods and brings Entrapta closer. "That's what I like to hear, reasonable compliance." Her lips graze Entrapta's cheek, getting a taste of the salt. Prime has told her about this, about people's flavors. It's interesting, but perhaps not for her. "We can work with this Entrapta." She assures.

"Anything..." Entrapta repeats quietly. Crying. Broken. Adora releases her throat, letting the woman slump down against her. As she does Adora now gently runs a hand through Entrapta's hair. Catra likes that, it always soothes her, makes her more amenable to what Adora wants. Catra is good though, she listens. She doesn't need punishments nearly so much anymore. 

Hopefully Entrapta won't be needing many after this either. "See Entrapta?" Adora speaks "look how nice it is when you work with me?" She smiles down at the scientist. She can feel Entrapta trembling, shivering. A distaste of the touches perhaps. A shame, Adora does love to give pets. 

In fact...

"I know just the thing you can do for me Entrapta." She notes while reaching over to the nearest table to pull it over closer to them with one hand while the other Continues to stroke Entrapta's hair. "We can make this whole trip worth it for me with just a little effort from you." She adds as she reaches down to pull down her bottoms. At the same time she can feel Entrapta tensing up. Tsk. Someone still doesn't quite understand who they belong to.

Adora lifts herself up onto the table, sitting on it and noting the cold of the metal absently. It doesn't actually bother her that much, her body can essentially ignore even freezing temperatures. As she spreads her legs Entrapta looks up at her with wide eyes. Pleading eyes. Adora can only smirk at her. She did say anything, didn't she? If there was a price that Entrapta did not want to pay she should not have offered it.

After all, the only thing the scientist wanted to keep was the dead clones frozen corpse.

"Get to work, for your empire." Adora commands, pulling Entrapta's face in between her thighs by the hair. There's not even much of a whimper from the princess. So resigned so quickly. Knowing that this is what she must do. That turns Adora's smirk into a smile. Entrapta was always brilliant. 

Always inexperienced too. Adora almost laughs as she feels Entrapta's mouth, her tongue, trying to figure out what to do. She is no Catra that is for sure. Still Adora squeezes her thighs around Entrapta's head, hand running through the woman's hair. Even if this takes a bit it will be worth it.

Besides, isn't it the duty of the Empress to ensure her servants are well versed in all important matters of the Empire? This is surely one of them.


	7. Chapter 7

It's days later when Catra walks into Entrapta's lab. The scientist doesn't even want to look at her. She can scarcely believe she once called this woman who betrayed her so many times a friend. The bodysuit of white and gold that Catra wears, the symbology of She-Ra, it only serves to remind Entrapta of who Catra serves. Who she belongs to.

"I'm working." Entrapta asserts quickly, scarcely giving Catra a visible glance.

"Good." Catra says. "Adora wanted me to personally see that you are... Functioning properly." She speaks carefully. Choosing her words as she walks closer. There's a tone...

Entrapta looks up now. Catra's thinking. She's standing proper, striding forward. Her ears are low, her tail curled around her waist. Entrapta's eyes drift to the collar. A biolocked device around Catra's throat. A faint golden glow along its circumference. A leashed animal.

Then their eyes meet, and Entrapta sees it. The fear, pain, horror. All of it in Catra. So clear. So clear even Entrapta can see it and Entrapta is well aware of her lacking of social awareness. Suddenly Entrapta's own fear and anger wanes for just this one person.

"Catra..." Entrapta begins.

Then Catra moves forward, body pressed against Entrapta's. The princess begins to panic. Not again. Not by Catra. Not again. Please.

Until she feels something pressed against her body. Hard and cold, slipped into her shirt while Catra pretends to paw at Entrapta's breasts. The feline's lips barely graze Entrapta's and she takes a breath. "Her taste isn't there anymore." She says blandly. Backing off of Entrapta as quickly as she pressed against the scientist. "As long as everything is going well I won't keep bothering you." Catra adds just as blandly as she turns to walk out.

When Catra's gone Entrapta stumbles over to the side of her lab, in a spot where the monitoring devices aren't as precise. She fishes the object out of her shirt and finds... A pink crystal. With first ones writing on it. Taped to the underside is a data key.

Entrapta grasps the crystal. She chokes back a sob. A chance. Catra has given her a chance at freedom. Already a plan is forming in her mind.

Maybe Catra was her friend in the end.


	8. Chapter 8

"If you would like we can try to format me into him." The clone voice notes helpfully. It's not a bad suggestion actually, but Entrapta has already considered it. There are far too many variables at play.

"It might not work... And I need you here..." Entrapta speaks quietly as she leans over the pod Hordak is kept in. The escape was too much. The containment was damaged. Hordak was damaged. The repairs she was working at in secret are undone. The damage has been made worse. Even if she could determine how to restore his mind his body is largely irrecoverable at this point. Nothing more than a statue.

"Ah I suppose the potential death of your rebel partner would be a problem! Deepest Apologies for not being of more help, Entrapta." The clone replies. She looks back in time to see him bow slightly. He's useful, essentially a particularly competent bot really. She named him Joe. He helped her escape the throne ship. He helped her steal and pilot this vessel.

They're portal jumping at random now, trying to avoid the Empire's grand fleet. 

"I'll figure it out." Entrapta finally says as she looks sadly through the transparent casing at the lifeless corpse kept preserved within. "He'll live again."

"I am sure he will, Entrapta." The clone speaks. "in the meantime I suggest we find more deckhands. You cannot work if you are needed to keep the ship running all of the time after all."

She just nods, standing up. "We'll study the ship!" She suddenly declares loudly. "Then we'll have to go back to Etheria and find people who can help."

"An excellent plan Entrapta." The clones smiles. "I will stay at the helm." And spins on his heel to march away. Entrapta stares for a moment at the device implanted in his spinal port. The override that scrubbed away his old mind and made him anew. She thinks briefly about what the people she used to know would think about what she's done to him.

About the fact that she simply reprogrammed a slave of Adora's into a slave of hers. That he screamed while it happened. That for a moment the clone he used to be looked afraid, terrified even.

It doesn't matter. He's not afraid anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Joe became a fan favorite, we see more of him.


	9. Chapter 9

"You can't do this!" Bow calls out as he's forced to the ground by one of the two Yellow Eyes that have caught him. Yellow Eyes, that's the name what's left of the ragtag rebellion have been calling the clones that belong to Adora personally. They wear She-Ra's colors, they glow in her colors. They look like creatures of wonderful legends. Angels that fight with the She-Ra for Etheria.

They're not, of course. They're oppressors, murderers, demons. 

"I'm Adora's friend! At least take me to her!" Bow calls out, wanting to try whatever he can to get a chance to keep fighting. He feels the weapon pressed against his head. Then he hears a discharge of energy and the weapon was suddenly not there. Bow is released. 

He rolls, spinning around to look at the situation. One of the yellow eyes is on the ground, dead. The other has turned, staring at a third clone.

This one is different though. Nonstandard, modified uniform, pink eyes, pink hair. He's smiling. Then the new one speaks.

"Deepest Apologies Brothers, but duty calls, and the Rebellion must never end." The remaining yellow eye is executed on the spot, and immediately the pink clone smiles as his brother slumps to the ground. Then the face turns to look at Bow.

"Ah yes. Bow. Hello there, I must apologize to you for being so late! It would have been terrible if you had died! After all, it is warriors like you who keep the engine of war turning!" 

Bow is stunned for a moment, standing up. "W-who are you? How do you know my name."

The clone steps forward, placing a hand on Bow's shoulder. "Oh yes! Call me Joe! Come, let's get you cleaned up and ready to keep fighting." The clone taps a small crystal badge on his collar. "Two for recall!"

As the light surrounds them and they are briefly lifted into the air Bow is even more confused. The clone simply smiles happily.


	10. Chapter 10

"You uh... You don't need to do that..." Bow notes as the clone with the glowing pink eyes picks up Bow's boots to shine them. The Archer himself is sitting on the cot he's made for himself in a corner of the ship. Everyone onboard has managed to carve out their own little spots.

The clone glances over, a smile on his face. "I wish to Bow. Do not worry." 

"Yeah but... You're not a slave here you don't have to tend to everyone's simple needs."

The clone laughs. "Of course Bow, I do as I please and what I please is service to our little rebellion." He nods reassuringly. "Because isn't that the most beautiful thing?" 

Bow blinks. "W-what is?"

"The never ending cycle of service that my kind were created for. Ah I do so hope that even if this rebellion succeeds it need not ever end." 

"Joe..." Bow isn't sure how to respond to that. He fidgets uncomfortably. Entrapta says she freed Joe but sometimes the way he acts. 

"Ah have I upset you Bow? My deepest apologies, such was not my intent." The faultless friendly smile remains. "If you would prefer I will refrain from shining your boots in particular."

"Uh... Yeah that... That would be better I think."

The clone then sets them down and bows. "Of course. I should return to my other duties anyway. After all, the cycle never ends! And Lonnie wished for dancing lessons!" 

Bow just watches as the clone happily spins around, clicking his heels and marching off into the rest of the ship. Bow really needs to sit down and talk to Entrapta about what she did to Joe at some point, but it also something that he doesn't necessarily want to know the answers to.


	11. Chapter 11

The interface was difficult. Meshing nerves and signal patterns that were not meant to intermingle. Entrapta knew Etherian humanoid biology well but the Horde clones? She needed to study those, to pick and pull them apart when she could. Luckily this rebel lifestyle let her do just that regularly. It was good for spare component gathering too. 

Some things were easy, things that didn't need integration with the nervous system mainly. Dental modifications in particular proved little more than a fun distraction for a moment. Certain cybernetic interfaces were easy too, things that worked independently or that she could recreate with her own technology.

Now though? She's made real progress. Recreating Hordak with what she has is no longer a pipe dream it's a reality she's creating for the world. It wasn't long ago she was sure his body would never live again, that it was just a frozen cadaver that she was keeping for study. Now though? Now it's coming together, now it'll live.

And as she commands the first ones tech she's used as a substrate, sending jolts through muscles and watching Hordak's talons flex and clench she can't help but smile. They're functioning flawlessly, and this work has also really made it clear why Hordak never wore gloves. Healthy clone skin is amazingly durable. 

She takes a deep breath, resting and looking over at the preserved corpse. Eyes next. His eyes are quite potent and, as she's learned from manipulating clone biology, beautifully customizable.


	12. Chapter 12

"Hey Bow." Lonnie's voice speaks up as she leans against the wall near his cot. Bow had been reading over the maintenance plan for the ship when she showed up. The rebellion's vessel, previously Empress Adora's Private Yacht, is a hybrid of First Ones and Horde technology with a fair amount of entraptech on top of it. The whole thing can be very finicky to keep running. 

Can't argue with performance though, and it remains the only craft they know of that can get in and out of despondos reliably.

Bow looks up at the former Horde soldier. "Hey! What's up Lonnie?" A smile graces his features. Even though she was with the Horde on Etheria Lonnie's a good person. So are Kyle and Rogelio, that inseperable trio. It reminds Bow of the trio friends he used to have sometimes...

He shakes those thoughts away. He needs to focus on the now, and he can appreciate these former Horde soldiers that he and Entrapta recruited. There's some others on the ship too, old rebels and troops from Hordak's Horde. All finally working together, United and getting along. Bow has become a defacto leader of things in general but Lonnie is basically the unspoken leader of Horde soldiers.

"You need to talk to Entrapta." Lonnie says simply. Quickly, averting her gaze. Bow blinks.

"What? Is everything okay? Is Entrapta okay?" It's been awhile since he actually went down to visit her. He's been too busy, work and rest basically being all he has time to be doing. Entrapta has been locked up in her lab down in the depths of the ship for ages but that's honestly not surprising. He's heard that she used to be able to spend upwards of half a year focused on a single project even when she wasn't involved in a war.

"Uh..." Lonnie looks awkward, maybe even scared? "Listen I don't think so? Kyle went down and saw her and... According to him she's working on some bad stuff down there. Scary stuff. Like... Okay so Kyle exaggerates a lot but he said she had claws and shit? I don't know. Someone needs to go down there, and you know her best. Well. Joe knows her best but he's useless when it comes to her."

Bow feels uneasiness in him. Oh no. What is Entrapta doing? Immediately he stands up. "Thanks Lonnie, I'll see what's going on."


	13. Chapter 13

Entraptas lab is near the very back of the ship, right up against the rear engine nacelles. It's a relatively loud and thrumming space that no one else really wanted so she converted it into her own. She's also the only one that works on those particular engine units because of that. The entire vessel is a little bit of a hodgepodge and the places where First One's and Horde power systems intermingle need Entrapta's touch.

It was Mara's ship once. At least a lot of it was. When Horde Prime came and Adora joined his side she had the whole thing taken apart, it's components Frankensteined alongside horde technology to create a larger but still agile and powerful craft. For its size it was probably the most capable vessel in Prime's fleet. 

The door to Entrapta's lab slides open. Revealing the rather compact space within. Consoles and tech are strewn all around. A large module takes up much of the center. No one but Entrapta actually knows what that is though. It looks almost like a container but it's covered, opaque to the world.

"Hey Entrapta? You in here?" Bow calls out as he enters the notably too dark room. How can she see in here? It's kind of terrible. 

"Bow?!" A voice calls out from the back of the lab. "Hi! Just a second!" It's Entrapta, though slightly wrong. Something of a lisp, as if she's got something in her mouth. Weird, maybe she's eating a tiny ration bar or something. It wouldn't be the first time she's been nomming on something while speaking.

"No worries." Bow replies, standing there awkwardly. Some part of his brain telling him not to step too far into this place. That while at one point being able to look around Entrapta's workspace would have been amazing these days it doesn't promise that. These days Bow always feels like he won't like what he finds in here. 

The metal tendrils of Entrapta's now familiar workframe pull his attention up. Endlessly segmented limbs, a hive of them to replace the hair that Prime cut off of her. They attach to her back, along her spine, her shoulders, wherever she can make them work really. The frame itself, the number and design of the tendrils, the way they're attached, it all constantly changes. Constantly iterated upon. That's barely of note though, they're all used to that. What no one is used to is the rest of her.

As Entrapta pulls herself up Bow is initially slightly embarrassed to see how much of her skin is exposed, she's essentially in her underwear, but that embarrassment quickly melts away as he sees more of her, and as her glowing eyes pierce him.

"Entrapta." Bow stammers out, he can feel sickness rising in the pit of his stomach. "What... What have you done?"

"Oh I've done a lot!" She replies happily. The gleam of red teeth that seem slightly too large for her head is so apparent. She grins. Their sharpness glinting in the low light. Bow isn't sure where to look, where not to look.

Her hands. Too large. Blue. Talons. Fused to her arms right above the wrist. The place where they're attached is jagged and almost haphazard looking. There's blackened skin along where the two disparate colors make contact, a hint of red in it too . On her chest and stomach there are metal ports, the skin around them bloodied and raw. They too seem too large for her. All of it is just a bit too large for Entrapta's frame.

Her legs. Bow almost gags. She ripped them apart. Blue and tan flesh intermixed with metal. Large clawed feet at their ends. 

Bows eyes adjust, trying to focus on her face. Where glowing eyes flicker slightly. Like they're suffering an error. They're trying to look like her old ones, he can see that. But they have a slight glow, and a very noticeable flickering to red for split seconds.

Then he sees it. Her cheeks. Blue. They flitter and open slightly. Her jaw exposed and hanging down between them. Like strange alien mandibles. A chitter escapes her.

"Oh Etheria." Bow chokes out. Stumbling back, trying to brace himself against something. Anything. He knows what all of this is. He's seen all of this so many times.

It's all the anatomy of Horde Clones.

But the eyes, the teeth.

It's all the anatomy of Hordak.

Bow has to double over. His stomach forcing itself to evacuate its contents.

"oh no! Are you ill Bow?" Entrapta asks suddenly, her tentacles scurrying her over to Bows. Her face has closed itself up again, hiding those inhuman Mandibles as cheeks once more. She leans in close, and Bow has to stumble away.

"I'm just!" He begins with a squeek. "Entrapta you... Your body..." He manages to get out. It almost pains him to say. He doesn't want to hurt Entrapta's feelings but what she's done? it's horrifying. It's disgusting.

Entrapta pulls away, wrapping her arms around herself in a self hug and looking away from Bow. "Oh... I didn't think it would cause such a physical reaction..." She sounds hurt. In a way she's in her right to, but at the same time this is...

"Entrapta... Is that... Was that all from Hordak?" Bow asks without looking up at her.

There's a long moment before she replies to him. "Yes. They're from his body. Don't worry though! I've saved all my old parts! So if anyone in the New rebellion needs replacement parts I have spares now! They're pretty good too!"

That just makes Bow wretch again.

"Why?" He finally asks. "Why did you... Do this?" He finally looks up at her. Her eyes flicker at him. Her hands release her arms and hang at her sides. A small amount of blood drips from the ports she's installed in herself. It's like she just drilled them in. Briefly Bow wonders how she possibly did this, but then he realizes he truly doesn't want to know that. He doesn't want to know the details of what she's done.

She just smiles at his question now. Her cheeks, her Mandibles, flutter slightly. "His body was gone. Damaged beyond what I could repair on site but I realized that... I could make the parts live again! In me!"

The horror surges up in Bow again. "Live again?" He regrets asking immediately. He doesn't want to know. He doesn't want to hear about what horrible ideas Entrapta has about fusing clone flesh with herself to make Hordak some sort of alive again.

Entrapta's grin widens. "Yes! Look!" She wiggles her, Hordak's, fingers at him. "They work! They move! I can feel them and do things with them! Just like he could! So it's like he can! I can show you some of my other plans if you like. They're not done but I have more work to do on my legs and stuff."

Bow shakes his head. "No! If... If it's not done then I shouldn't see it yet you just... Keep on working Entrapta!" He forces a smile. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay!"

Entrapta nods, the Mandibles opening to give him a wide grin. The eyes flicker more and she claps her hands together as she rises up on her Hive of metal tendrils. "I'm doing great now Bow! Thanks for checking on me!" 

"Yeah!" He says as he stares up at her. "I need to get back to work though. You know how it is!" 

"Yes! So do I!" She suddenly says, moving through the lab back to the back and out of sight. Bow can only take a deep breath and stumble out of the room. Leaning against the wall as the door slams shut. 

Everything is terrible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on some concept art of Horde Prime an early design of him his cheeks were mandibles that could open, for this fic I included that because I love that headcanon, and it extends to the clones to an extent. They normally don't work but Entrapta decided to go for it for the aesthetic.


	14. Chapter 14

"I know you didn't like them." Adora's voice sounds out. "I get it. I do. They were your enemy and in many ways they helped split us apart." The Empress sighs. "I just like having them around. Nostalgia, I suppose." She finally admits as she looks over the collection of people before them.

Catra could only try to take deep steady breathes as she looked at each one. The Princesses of Etheria, or blank copies of them at least. Happy smiling dolls for the Empress to enjoy. She had asked Prime for them and he had thought it was a marvelous idea. Catra had been there for that discussion. That disgusting horrible discussion where Prime began to suggest all the things you could do with a clone of someone.

There's no Catra, luckily. Not when Catra herself is here. The rest though. They're so vapid, blank, smiling. All dressed in Adora's colors. In different outfits though. Catra isn't even sure what to think of it. She's just staring.

Then Adora speaks. "They're easy to make now. We have their biology down quite well from what I understand! So if you want to get that frustration out... Well I think if anyone deserves to be allowed to kill them it's you Catra. I know you wanted the chance to so badly on Etheria, and I think it's only right to let you have this."

Catra stares at them. Panic starting to rise 

She doesn't want that. Not anymore. She doesn't want to hurt anyone anymore, and definitely not these innocent clones of people that aren't even her enemy anymore.

But is she supposed to want it? Will Adora be angry if she doesn't do it?

So Catra's claws flex. "Thank you Adora." She glances back, putting a smile on. "You're sure you won't mind?"

"As long as you're happy Catra. Go ahead, make a mess."

They smile the entire time, and the blood never seems to wash away.


	15. Chapter 15

The worst is perhaps those days that are good. Where Adora is kind, a good partner even. They make Catra almost forget the bad ones, the horrible times; or they make Catra think that the horrible times are worth it for the good times. She wants to think that, she wants to forget the pain. Catra wants so badly to be able to see the horrors as just a small price for these beautiful comfortable moments.

She wants to live in these moments.

Catra lays half on top of the Empress, her head resting against Adora's chest, a steady purr emanates from her. One of Adora's arms draped across her, holding her, but not hard. It is what being held should be like. The other hand pets Catra's hair, scratches around her ears, generally gently gives Catra love.

It's so wonderful.

But behind it all there's anticipation. Fear. An expectation that Adora will at any moment say or do something to hurt Catra, to show that she can, or perhaps just because she enjoys hurting Catra. The waiting is always there. That slight tenseness that can never go away.

It's almost worse when it never comes.

When Adora holds her, kisses her, calls her beautiful. When things are so good, so nearly perfect. It's almost worse. 

Because Catra can never stop expecting the worst no matter how much she hopes for the best.


	16. Chapter 16

Adora wasn't smiling. Not at all. No, as she catches Bow's last arrow and snaps it she can only sigh. Marching forward and shaking her head. "We were friends once Bow. I wish we could still be friends." She speaks almost sadly.

"I didn't end our friendship Adora. You made those decisions." He manages to pant out, reaching back to grab another arrow only to find his quiver empty. As the realization plays across his face Adora honestly can't help but smirk. 

"Give it up Bow. Go back to Bright Moon. Tell the rebellion to end the fight. Do that and I'd be happy to be your friend again." She offers him. It's gracious, more than he deserves really.

"No Adora." He says plainly, not even able to look at her. Tactical mistake, but he's already lost. No need to exploit it. "I can't just... Let you do whatever you and Prime want..."

"That's too bad. We really do only want the best for the Universe." She says as she twirls her sword in her hand, now standing right before Bow.

She's lived this moment so many times with so many people now. It's always heavy, even difficult, but she is She-Ra and she is able to do what needs to be done.

The sword is raised. Bow's eyes turn down. No cries for mercy, a simple resignation. Adora feels almost thankful to him. At least he knows to give her that much. He was such a good friend after all, and it pains the Empress to have to execute him in this way. If only he had not been so insistent on his childish beliefs about freedom, justice, war, and peace. If only he had listened.

The singular moment before her strike, that second that lasts longer than a second, is enough for something to grab her sword. Adora's hesitation, even miniscule as it was, is apparently enough for something to intervene. The surprise of it lets the sword be ripped from her hand, flung away as whatever grabbed it cannot hold onto it. She hears metal being sliced by the blade as it pulls. 

Quickly Adora turns to the new combatant, and finds herself staring at some creature that was probably once Entrapta. The metal tendrils attached to her back coil and move her fluidly. She looks primed and ready to spring. The tendril that grabbed and threw the sword is obvious, a large gashes where it wrapped around the blade. 

Adora's face twists into disgust as she looks at this thing. Clone flesh and horde metals grafted and insterted to a once perfectly adequate Etherian body. A twitching writhing form of tendrils and defiled flesh that was once a brilliant woman. "Entrapta. You really do stand as a testament to how leaving the grace of the Empire will twist and mangle someone." She scoffs.

Entrapta growls at Adora, an actual growl. The scientists eyes seem to glow brighter. Augmetic eyes as well? Interesting. "You're the twisted one Adora. I'm helping my friends."

The Empress' scowl deepens. "There you go, asserting that you have friends again. That you're anything more than a tool for whoever manages to pick you up at any given time." 

Entrapta doesn't really reply to that. No. Rather she roars like the beast she's turned herself in to. Her face splitting open in a way entirely unnatural to her physiology. Besting Bow and readying to put him down? That was unfortunate, almost regrettable. This? Dealing with this half-woman? This is a public service. This is pest control. 

As Entrapta's many tendrils unfurl, some revealing various energy weapons, Adora just shakes her head and brings up her arms in preparation. Sure enough the blast hits her. Multiple beams and bolts of green and red energy arc through the air and impact her. She is She-Ra though, and her body takes the energy with only some pain. Once upon a time that assault may have incapacitated her immediately, but Adora has the power of the Heart at her call now. 

As her eyes look up she sees Entrapta soaring down at her, having followed up the attack with a leap it seems. Tendrils of metal impact against Adora. Countless limbs striking hard against her. She's knocked around, back, her clothing torn and damaged. Then Adora sees the pattern. With a smirk she reaches out. Grabbing a shorter tendril and pulling Entrapta forward. The scientist can only get a yelp before Adora's fist slams into her gut. The yelp becomes a gasp and her tendrils spasm.

Gotcha. 

Adora tosses Entrapta up and punches her again, sending the princess flying into a nearby rock formation and giving Adora a moment to retrieve her sword. Her eyes never leave Entrapta, watching the woman dig her claws into the ground and pull herself back up.

The feeling of her fingers wrapping around her sword is always a comfort. It's not just a symbol of She-Ra, it is Adora's scepter of authority. It is physical proof of her righteousness in all she does, and it is the death of those who would stand against her and the Empire.

She doesn't need to say anything as she raises the blade and points it at Entrapta. This traitorous hybrid mongrel doesn't deserve any further words from her Empress. She was given so many chances. The sword glows, energy flowing across the blade. As Adora looses it Entrapta's tendrils rapidly wrap forward, a barrier of green energy emitting from each and overlapping. Old Horde trench shield tech. 

For a moment Adora doesn't even care, she'll burn through such defenses in a moment. Then suddenly Entrapta moves, leaping up and actually using the beam as leverage to move forward and leap at Adora again. The entire movement is surprising and Adora ceases her attack and moves to deflect this too slowly. Entrapta comes down on her. Tendrils grabbing her sword arm and forcing it aside. One clawed hand grabbing and forcing Adora's free arm away. Then the long talons of a clone slash out across Adora's throat.

The Empress feels blood.

Adora falters ever so slightly, tearing her arm away from Entrapta and reaching to her neck to feel it absently. Her eyes look up and meet Entrapta's, the scientist panting and staring at her. Clearly already wounded and exhausted.

Adora smiles, and with a bit of focus she channels the magics of Etheria through herself. The light enveloping her, and sealing the wound. "Not bad." Adora suddenly speaks, and in Entrapta's moment of shock she grabs the woman by the face. "Not good enough though."

The sword pulses with energy, shattering the tendrils holding that arm. She brings the flat against Entrapta right as she releases her grip. Batting the woman into the dirt. As Adora's boot moves to stomp down Entrapta rolls desperately. Her weapons humming and firing again only to be deflected by the sword harmlessly. 

Adora actually laughs as she brings a fist down at Entrapta again. The Princess catches it with both of her clawed hands. Then Adora just smirks. "You keep forgetting how many limbs you have." And the sword is plunged into Entrapta's stomach. "You needed more training for this fight Entrapta."

The blade slides out slowly. Adora makes sure to angle it and slice a bit more. Just to make sure Entrapta knows how completely she's lost. So this traitor dies in pain. The Princess is just gasping in pain now, trying to speak maybe? Who knows. Her Mandibles flutter, eyes darting around in panic. Adora pushes her to the ground as the sword comes out, standing over her. Watching as Entrapta desperately tries to press down on the gaping wound in her torso. Trying desperately to live.

"I killed Hordak with the same wound." Adora notes. "You'd know that though, you were there after all." 

This time she doesn't even get to raise her sword to finish it when suddenly Bow is on her back. His bow sliding over her head and around her neck to pull against her. This is infuriating. Will they never cease?! 

It doesn't take long for Adora to grab him and throw him off of her, followed by a quick snapping of his weapon.

Unfortunately that's long enough for him to roll over to Entrapta and shout. "NOW! GET US OUT NOW!"

The Empress can only glower and step back as the transport beam coats the two and they blink out of existence. It is irrelevant, they accomplished less than nothing, they will return to their rebel friends with stories of how unstoppable Adora is. This is a victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP


	17. Chapter 17

Entrapta continues to gasp and gurgle as her mind is flooded with pain. She can hear Bow shouting. Kyle suddenly there. She's dying. She's bleeding massively internally and she's dying. She fades in and out. They're trying to save her, doing whatever they can with whatever they have to keep her together.

But her modifications, they don't know how to work around those. Work with them. Entrapta is dying, and her own desire to bring Hordak back through her body will ensure it. 

"Giving up?" The voice alone almost shocks life back into her. It's clear, unlike the muffled sounds of her friends trying to work on her. It persists even as the world fades in and out. It's his.

It's Hordak.

"You can't expect everything to work the first time." His voice speaks again, and she sees him. Leaning over her. He looks almost... Healthy. "Even killing Adora. You need to iterate the process. Refine it. Didn't you teach me that?" 

She tries to nod. To speak. The only sounds are unintelligible. She hears the others grow even more concerned and confused. She hears them ask what she just said.

Then Hordak speaks. "You know your body better then them. You should do the work." But she can't. She's in too much pain. Her hands are too unsteady. 

"You don't need your hands. Your rig is still attached. Don't be a fool Entrapta. You have my cybernetics in you. Route through them. Bypass and seal the injuries then repair when you're stable."

He's right. She doesn't need everything in there right now. She has energy weapons. She can reroute what she can through the tech. Cauterize the rest with her weaponry. 

She closes her eyes, trying to focus. Shifting her limbs. The tendrils moving and scaring her friends. Beginning their bloody work.

It hurts. It hurts so much. She screams, but as her eyes shoot open she sees him looking at her, smiling. He nods at her effort. Impressed at her work, like he used to be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say hello to fan favorite; Hallucination Hordak. A suggestion I could not pass up.


	18. Chapter 18

Entrapta managed to save herself, stabilize her body, keep herself alive. Kyle and Bow couldn't even watch her work, to be fair she could barely watch either but that was mostly the pain of it. She had fallen back, alive but physically ravaged. Then when she could she made her way to her lab, sealing herself away inside to work, to repair herself properly with the time she bought.

And to hide the fact that he's still there. Hordak is still there.

Logically she had deduced that he was some dying vision, some cry of her self preservation instincts. A final glimpse at something she wished she could see. Her own brain's gift to her.

But he's still here.

"You've done the bulk of the compatability work. The damaged organs can be replaced with mine." He says casually. "At least those of mine that remained functional. If you use the bad ones you will need life support like I did."

He's talking as if he's here. As if they're working on some lab project.

"Hordak you're..."

"Giving you sound advice Entrapta. Though when it comes to internals harvesting from another Etherian or even a healthy clone would be better."

He's right, she knows he's right. Because she knows everything he's saying. He's just a figment. Isn't he?

Is he saying things she knows because she knows them? Or is it because she and Hordak always worked together so well?

She looks up at him, staring for a moment. "You look good." She croaks out weekly. She can feel tears welling. A sob tickling at her throat.

Hordak smiles and nods. "It's ironically pleasant, lacking a body."


	19. Chapter 19

"Perhaps you shouldn't stare. You Etherians seem to react poorly to prolonged exposure to the outside." The Clones voice speaks up, jostling Micah from the moment. He had been staring out the bridge window of this 'spacecraft' that Bow took him too. Out into the nothingness they drift in. The impossible and endless blackness of the dimension they call despondos.

He looks back at the Clone. The pink eyes and the polite smile. Micah hates this thing. He hates it so much. "And you do not?" 

"I am not susceptible to existential dread in the same way you are. I suspect that part of my brain was burned out. Either by Prime or by Entrapta. I do not know who, but I would like to thank them if I ever do. It makes working on the bridge easier for me." Perfectly happy. The clone sounds perfectly happy.

"Thank them? For taking away part of your mind?" 

"A part that would be only a detriment. This is the only known vessel capable of translating into despondos, and despondos is the only place we can safely hide for extended periods. I am glad to be able to stare into this nothingness for hours and feel... Well. Nothing!" The damn thing actually laughs.

Micah hates it.

When Bow brought him aboard this vessel and he saw this clone Micah had wanted to end it immediately. These things... It was these things that brought war to Etheria. It was these things that took his wife from him. It was these things that enforced the rule of Prime and Adora. It was these things that took his daughters corpse away when she took her own life.

And it was these things that brought her back, sobbing and broken.

Micah's fingers flex, he clenches a fist. He wants to hurt this thing. Instead he takes a breath. This one pilots the ship. He shouldn't.

So instead Micah walks off of the bridge without a word, painfully aware of the clones smiling face watching him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Joe.


	20. Chapter 20

"Ironic that you really need a six sided hex driver right now." Hordak notes as Entrapta works underneath the main bridge console. "Considering needing one of those is how you got here in the first place."

Normally Entrapta would comment on his comment, returning the thought back to him. To herself? Unfortunately there are people around. Bow, Joe, Micah. They're all on the bridge while she works. She really wants to reply though. She likes talking to him. She knows it probably isn't a good thing to converse with him but...

She missed it so much.

She missed him so much.

"We fried a console module in here." Entrapta notes. "I'll need to pull it and find or make a replacement! But we should be okay without it for now since we're in despondos! I'm pretty sure it's the fallback computer for reactor control." She notes. "We don't reeeaally need it, and while we're idle we definitely don't. The primary won't have any problems."

"Until it does." Hordak notes.

"Are you sure?" Bow asks concerned. "That sounds pretty important..."

"I manually control it during battle anyway." Entrapta notes. "It's fine for now, I'll just pull the console and we'll have to tap through the error message!" 

"Tapping through error messages has served us so well in the past." Hordak snarks.

"You shush." Entrapta says, then realizes what she's done.

"Uh." Bow's voice sounds out. "What was that Entrapta."

"Nothing!" Entrapta says! "I was talking to the computer!"


	21. Chapter 21

"This isn't good." Entrapta wheezes as she leans forward in her chair. She's in just her undergarments. Pallid and sick. Her stomach contents just evacuated themselves, her temperature is high, she feels woozy and generally in pain 

"I did warn you about using my organ systems." Hordak notes 

"You were able to survive longer than this..." She says weakly, her brain trying to turn over what's wrong. What could be failing in this way.

"I wasn't an amalgam." Hordak notes.

That's right. Hordak may have been defective but he was still a Horde clone. They're designed to be durable, ludicrously difficult to kill. Entrapta's an Etherian using clone components. Most of her body is a weak link, it can't keep going with defective systems like a clone can. As she heaves again Hordak speaks.

"You know my life support system." He says. "Build it." 

"I don't know if that will work. I'm an amalgam it could..."

"You installed my ports into yourself." He interjects. "And my life support kept my decayed organ systems alive. I doubt it will be a permanent fix but it will keep you going long enough to harvest new organs." Hordak replies. She glances up.

He's kneeling before her, he looks concerned.

"I would much prefer you to not die sick and in pain because of my broken body Entrapta." He notes. "Strip my armor, remake the life support, install it to your work-rig." 

Entrapta nods. He's right. At the very least that can buy time. She was foolish to think she could do this without any problems like this. Everything before had been superficial, all she needed was the right compatibility interfaces to let her brain and the new parts talk. Basically she just had to do what she always does, cram some First One's tech in and watch the magic happen. What she did to save herself though? 

That's unheard of.

She takes a breath and slowly stands. "Okay." She says. "life support."

"If anyone can do this, it is you, Entrapta." The hallucination of Hordak assures her.


	22. Chapter 22

"Ah, My Glorious Empress. How goes the quashing of our little rebellion?" Horde Prime asks as Adora enters the throne room, spinning around to smile at her. Adora can only scoff and laugh at the question.

"Have you even noticed them in the wider Empire?" She asks simply.

"Not at all, That is why I am curious to hear from you. Clearly they are not gaining much traction though." He notes casually.

"Not at all." She repeats with a smirk, moving up to him and sitting on his lap, putting her arms around his neck. "They tried to kill me recently. They couldn't even leave a scratch." She chuckles a bit. "Forced to scurry away broken to tell their comrades about how unstoppable we are." Horde Prime almost purrs, his Mandibles chitter and Adora strokes a finger across them. "It's pitiful. That they think they're right." She notes 

"Indeed. So many don't understand our desire for peace and order in the universe.

Adora leans in to kiss Prime's cheek gently. "Our campaign in LGL-46F4G is stalled." She notes.

"Ah. You've taken note of that as well?" Prime asks, hmming a bit and wrapping claws around Adora's ass, sinking into her slightly. 

"Yes." She notes. "If you do not already have a plan to rectify the situation I would like to perform a few test fires of the Heart. We have not run tests with the new Glimmer." She notes.

Prime nods, smirking now. "I will relay a target list to you immediately." He turns to her now and their lips meet.

"Good." Adora replies after they break their kiss. "I can scarcely wait."


	23. Chapter 23

As Adora steps out of the shower Catra can't stop herself from watching the Empress' naked body. Toned, strong, nearly perfect. No matter what Catra has to admit it's alluring and in some twisted sense she really is lucky to experience it. 

"Ah." Adora sighs as Catra moves to her side to begin helping the Empress towel off. "You know Catra..."

Catra's ears flick. "Hmm?" 

"I do so love Prime. He is a Brilliant man, and undeniably an attractive and well kept one but I can't help but..."

"Wish he was a buff woman?" Catra actually interjects. Her tail flicking. Momentarily panic wells up, she just interrupted Adora.

Then Adora laughs, and Catra feels relief flood her as quickly as the fear had. "Yes!" She chuckles. "He's commented on that himself actually, that I have such clear preferences."

Catra can't help but smirk a little. "Well, I would imagine it makes him happy knowing he breaks through those preferences. Another way he is so incredible." Catra notes as her claws start to trail over Adora's abdomen. "I'd be happy, flattered even." She adds for good measure.

Then she notes Adora's silence, and feels the Empress' eyes on her. Another wave of fear. She looks up and is once more relieved to see a smile. A soft smile actually. Catra hasn't really seen that in a non terrible scenario for some time. It warms her and causes a sense of dread at the same time. 

"What?" Catra glances around awkwardly.

Adora just laughs at that. "Catra, you did break through my preferences."

"...what?" Catra blinks, confused now. 

Suddenly Adora leans down and kisses her. "Look at how lean you are Catra. That's not exactly my type now is it?" 

Catra stammers suddenly. "I... Didn't think about that."

"You're sweet" Adora coos. "Admittedly I have considered modifying you, but I am nostalgic for this you" she adds, now pulling Catra against her. "My loving kitten."


	24. Chapter 24

They had all managed to get relatively used to Entrapta's physical peculiarities by the time the battle with Adora happened. It's in the aftermath though that things became actively concerning again. Specifically when Entrapta made her way to the rebellion strategy meeting with not just her physical modifications and her tendril rig attached to her but also, plugged into her back and to the ports on her front, is some sort of unknown device that Kyle quickly noted looked kind of like Hordak's old look.

It didn't help that she was wearing pants and a sports bra in order to make room for the cables wrapping around to her front which showed off that she's looking notably more emaciated as well as clearly scarred and stitched. 

"Entrapta." It's Micah that speaks. "The others may want to preserve your privacy but we need to know, what is it you are doing to yourself?" He asks sternly. 

Bow flinches at the question. It's so direct, but Micah is right. Lonnie sighs and shakes her head while Kyle averts her gaze. Rogelio glances around. 

Entrapta blinks and looks around the group. Her eyes visibly adjusting the size of their purely aesthetic pupils. Her talons tap together for a moment. "Well! I'm dying!"

Briefly she glances at something behind Micah but refocuses.

The shock is palpable. It's Kyle that speaks first "WHAT?! YOU CAN'T DIE! YOU'RE MY FRIEND!" 

It actually surprises everyone almost as much as the Revelation.

"It's okay!" Entrapta interjects. "My new hardware is life support!" She nods, glancing again past everyone at something. Then suddenly back at the group "Actually can you all help me?" 

"Of course Entrapta" Bow says, kind of actually excited to hear her ask for help. She's been so removed from the rest of them that her actually asking directly for help is a potentially good sign for her mental health.

"I need a horde clone to harvest organs from in order to save myself." Entrapta smiles at them all.

"Excuse me?" Lonnie speaks up as Bow just gapes. The realization that Entrapta's asking for help was not actually a good sign flooding through him.

"Just any known good clone will do! When Adora injured me I used some of Hordak to try and fix myself but his parts were bad! So I need replacements before I die! It's actually pretty exciting when I'm not violently ill!" She cackles just a little. Then blinks and seems to collect herself. "Don't worry I just need help capturing the clone I can handle the rest!"

Micah rubs his temples and sighs. "This entire ragtag Rebellion needs so much work."


	25. Chapter 25

"You need to get better about not looking at me during meetings." Hordak notes as he walks around Entrapta's lab. "I believe the lizard began to really notice you glancing around."

"Well maybe you shouldn't be commenting on everything then." Entrapta counters as she works on the life support pack, tinkering with it and trying to get more efficiency out of its function. Unlike Hordak, the alive Hordak, Entrapta isn't afraid to poke and prod at the thing keeping her alive.

"Commenting is quite literally all I am capable of doing. If I did not do that then what would be the point of my presence?" He counters, leaning over her shoulder to watch her work now.

"You could be quiet moral support!"

"That is quite the suggestion coming from you Entrapta." He counters with a smirk. It actually makes Entrapta giggle. Then that amusement suddenly makes her remember that this isn't real. That Hordak is dead. She sighs and stops her work, staring at the machine that used to be part of him, at the hands that used to be part of him.

"I miss you." She whispers. "The others don't understand. It's hard..."

"I'm right here with you, aren't I?" Hordak replies.

"You're not real." She glances back up at him. "You're just some kind of copy my brain made that won't go away."

"I was always a copy." Hordak counters simply. "Do the details matter?"

Entrapta looks back down, then closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Let's just... Let's talk about something else."


	26. Chapter 26

"Catra." The Princess speaks coldly, refusing to look at the royal consort. Tech and First ones runes cover her as they do every other elemental Princess on Etheria. It's awful to see on each one. It's worse on this one.

"Hey Scorpia." Catra says as she stands there. "I've been ordered to check on things here. Make sure everything is functioning."

Scorpia glances over, she just looks sad. Disappointed even. Then she looks away. They're in the Fright Zone. What used to be the Fright Zone anyway. It's been rebuilt shiny and white and green and just so clean and sterile. Hordak's empire is long gone. It's Prime and Adora's now. "Ordered huh?" The princess replies.

Catra frowns. "Yes. Ordered. By Adora."

"Yeah I bet."

Her tail flicks. She takes a deep breath. "I have a job Scorpia and I'm doing it. I don't have any other choice."

"There's always a choice." Scorpia replies. "The other Princesses taught me that." She stares off at nothing now. "You chose to help Adora."

"I chose to survive Scorpia!" Catra snaps. This one always gets to her. Scorpia is so much worse than the others. Scorpia was her friend. 

Catra was a bad friend. She knows it. She still is a bad friend. 

"Yeah. You always did." Scorpia finally replies. "Everything is 'functional' here, Royal Consort."

Catra wants to scream. She wants to shout about how no one understands what she goes through, about what her life is. There's no point though, that'll only hurt her and others if she does. So instead she takes a breath. "Very well. Goodbye." 

And turns around to march out. She has others to check on. This one is always too hard.


	27. Chapter 27

"Wow these look so much better than yours!" Entrapta shouts as she pulls open the clone's abdomen. "No offense!" 

"None taken." Hordak notes. He has to speak loud to get over the pained screams of the clone strapped to Entrapta's work table. "I was suffering from a degenerative illness, after all."

"Yeah I didn't even realize how bad it was!" Entrapta notes as she dives in with her numerous tools to start cutting and pulling the things she needs. "So I'm thinking we'll keep the life support module and some other bits but repurpose them as redundants? That way if Adora gets me good again I can fallback on that! She'll never see it coming!"

"That is the exact sort of iteration of the process I spoke of initially." Hordak says, smiling at her as the green eyed clone whimpers and calls out in pain. Pleading to stop, or to just kill him.

Entrapta just smiles happily as she works. Killing the clone would be a waste, she has more time to work if he's still alive after all! Though it is pretty loud with him like this. "I forgot how loud they can be." She hrmms.

"The throat." Hordak notes.

"Oh good idea!" Entrapta laughs manically for a moment before reaching over and carefully slicing into the clones throat to sever the vocal cords. Then she sighs happily. "That's much better! Thanks Hordak!"

"Of course." The vision that only she can see replies.

Entrapta continues her work. Harvesting from a still living, mute clone. Alone in an empty room.


	28. Chapter 28

Working on one's self isn't exactly an easy task. Luckily this time Entrapta manufactured herself some good drugs to numb herself while she works. That does mean she has to rely on the sensor information from her tendrils instead of a real sense of touch but that's okay she's been used to doing that sort of thing for years now.

She's laying back, a mirror over her letting her see herself. Cutting through her emaciated torso, through the skin and muscle and the inhuman layer of First Ones techno organic flesh that permeates her sub muscular world. Hordak leans over her, watching this all. "About two millimeters to your left." He states blandly.

"Thank you." She notes with a smile as she severs the bad organ from her body with careful strokes of her blades. "this is much easier when I'm not dying quickly."

"Yes. I remember doing similar to myself on Etheria when I first arrived actually." The hallucination notes. "You'll need to take that out, the rest won't fit with it there." 

Entrapta hrmms. "I think I can make it all fit."

"It's not worth the pain of it." He counters. "The loss of efficiency over time will be unacceptable for the few niche cases having all of it will benefit you."

Entrapta hrmms. Weighing the options carefully. Ah dangit he's probably right. He needs to be right less often. 

"I'm right because I'm stating conclusions you yourself are already close to coming to." Hordak notes.

"Stop reading my mind!" 

"I literally cannot." He counters.


	29. Chapter 29

Frosta found herself curled up on her throne. The clone guards in the chamber all watching her. The others don't visit anymore. They can't. She's tried to escape too many times and has been punished for it. Not even her old attendants are allowed around her anymore. It doesn't help her mood that she's simply physically exhausted as well. Adora's been using the weapon, channeling power through them. She feels so tired.

It's so much. It's crushing. There are few moments that Frosta doesn't feel like she's ready to simply give up.

When the door slides open and Catra walks in with a yellow eyed clone at her side Frosta feels that upswelling of rebellion in her. Anger pushes away her despair. Her child mind trying to think of any way she can lash out.

"Don't even try kid." Catra speaks up as she approaches. "I'm just here to make sure you're in one piece still."

"No thanks to you." Frosta says with indignation as she sits up. 

Catra's tail flicks. Then as the consort opens her mouth Frosta sees it. The clone at her side suddenly beginning to wear a grin, pulling a weapon from his side. Before Catra speaks she seems to notice Frosta's gaze, turning around toward the clone only to find her head being blown open by the energy weapon. As blood and brain splatter across the frozen hall the clone blinks and his eyes turn pink. "Deepest Apologies Catra." He speaks, raising the weapon and firing at the nearest clone.

The whole palace shakes soon after that, causing the clone guards to stagger as they try to bring their weapons to bare against this new opponent.

Frosta is, ironically, frozen. This entire event is as horrifying to watch as it is unprecedented.

As the clones seem to get their bearings the pink one takes down another, then dives as they open fire on him. At the same time another person runs in through the door, Bow, he fires off arrows quickly. He has a new bow? It's gray, and more techy looking for lack of a better description in the young princesses mind. 

Frosta suddenly gets her voice back. "Watch out!" She shrieks, pointing at another clone turning its attention to Bow. The Archer spins to fire an explosive arrow at the clone quickly. Bow can't seem to actually kill them but whatever weapon the pink clone has does. 

As the battle continues more people run in. Soldiers in old Etherian Horde armor, different logos painted all over the plate, Glimmer's father Micah, and then what Frosta is sure used to be Entrapta.

She screams too much to be sure. 

The Entrapta-thing luckily scurries on metal tendrils right past the princess, heading toward the chamber of the fractal flake it seems. Bow and Micah approach her instead.

"Frosta!" Bow says. "Hey! We're here to get you out of here!" 

Frosta stammers. "W-what? How?! I can't escape! I'm bound here!" 

"Entrapta and Micah are gonna take care of that." Bow assures her. "See?" He gestures to the sorcerer who already appears to be weaving a spell. 

"I don't understand. What..." She glances around, eyes landing on Catra's corpse for a moment and causing her to freeze up again and look away. This causes Bow to look over to, becoming wide eyed and having to turn away and cover his mouth.

"What the hell Joe?!" One of the soldiers, a woman, shouts. "You didn't have to blow her head off!"

"I assure you the consort will be just fine, Lonnie! There is simply no way her backup system is not top quality!" The pink eyes clone declares chipperly 

"That is NOT the point!" This Lonnie shouts back.

Frosta suddenly finds herself being hugged by Bow. "We're getting you out of here." He assures her again. "Just close your eyes." 

The young monarch does so. She has wanted to for so long. To just close her eyes and let someone else handle things. She feels tears welling in her eyes. Then Bow speaks again. "I'm gonna step back so Micah can disrupt the magic binding you to Etheria okay?" He asks.

Frosta just nods. "Do it." 

She can then feel it. The energies washing over her. She feels suddenly disconnected from everything, from her powers, from the world. Then a new voice suddenly shouts. Entrapta's

"Okay I tagged the Fractal Flake! Did you guys do the thing?" She asks. There's a slight lisp in her voice.

"She's unbound." Micah says. "Can you do the rest?"

"Not here!" Entrapta assures, skittering over to hang down near Frosta "Hi! We're going to go to space and I'm going to get all that tech off of you! Let's go!" Entrapta cackles and moves forward. "We have to get into open air for the transport beam to catch us! Also Emily is flying so that's probably not going to go well!" She adds. 

Everyone sort of looks at each other awkwardly before Bow picks Frosta up. "Let's go." He says, charging forward and out of the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a vote on which Princess to save.


	30. Chapter 30

She doesn't want to look at Entrapta. She really doesn't. There's something very wrong about the princess of Dryl. Her entire body is like something from a scary story. Sure there are all kinds of different people on Etheria and Frosta is always happy to see cool claws but this? She looks sick. Wrong. The parts are all mismatched. 

Still, it is Entrapta. She seems happy, bubbly. As Frosta sits down in the ship's lab tools are immediately placed against her. Small bursts of heat from them. Then Frosta feels the tech that's been attached to her since Etheria was conquered removed painlessly. Things she's tugged at for so long simply coming off...

"How are you?..." Frosta can't help but ask.

"They're biolocked to you! Fused to your body but still removable! I send a signal to them to unlock and can tug them right out! Good as new!" Entrapta says happily. "it's so they can be reused."

"Oh" Frosta doesn't even really know what that means, so she just stares forward. "Won't they just... Make another me?"

"Nope! They can't! Not of you anyway. The other princesses sure but that's because they're all mostly grown. You're still very young so the tech that Prime uses for the transference doesn't work on you!" 

Frosta suddenly gets it. "That's why you saved me."

"That was why you got my vote! I think everyone else wanted to choose you because they were worried the most about you, being younger and all!" Entrapta notes happily. Then she makes an unprompted hmm sound and stops moving for a moment. A giggle escapes the scientist before she resumes her work on Frosta.

"Uh... What was that?" Frosta asks.

"What was what?" Entrapta asks back 

"That. You laughed?" She looks back at Entrapta now. Then quickly has to look away as she catches that face with the wrong eyes and the wrong teeth and the wrong cheeks. 

"Oh! I thought of a science joke!" Entrapta says happily and perhaps with a slight panic in her voice. "Anyway! Once we're done Bow wants to show you around the ship and introduce you to everyone!"

Frosta just nods now. "Okay."


	31. Chapter 31

The floor is suddenly rushing up to meet Catra as she's dropped out of the gestation pod. She hits the floor with a rough thud, gasping to get air into her fresh lungs. Her brain tries to parse together what just happened. A clone killed her? What? This has to be some cruel joke from Prime or Adora. 

Unless...

Oh no.

Catra scrambles on the floor. Trying to pick herself up, her body still not used to being awake yet. Then she feels the hands grab her. The clone attendants picking her up and towling her off. She rips herself away from them, hissing. "I need to work! Now!" The panic is so heavy in her chest. It pulsates through her body. If something happened to Frosta then Adora will be so angry. She doesn't want that, she can't have that. Please let this be a fluke. A cruel prank.

Catra stumbles her way naked out of Adora's private geneforge, making her way to Adora's private chamber complex. The terminals there will give her access, let her see what's going on. 

Clones step aside for her as she runs now, barely paying her naked form mind. It's not as if this is the first time she's been forced to walk around the ship naked. It's just usually more of a humiliation sex thing. As the doors register her and let her in she stumbles over to her terminal, slamming it awake and beginning to access data feeds from Etheria. No. No no no. It was an attack. It was hours ago. She's been dead for hours.

"Catra." Adora's voice speaks from behind her. 

Catra's entire fresh body tenses.

Then she stands up straight. "Adora I-"

"You rushed here so quickly you didn't even get your collar on." Adora's voice notes, closer. Then Catra feels Adora's hand trail over her neck. Her fingers briefly circle the small port attached to Catra's spine. It's not as robust as a Horde clone's but it's there. Catra shivers.

"I'm sorry Adora." She pleads. Her breath is starting to come fast. Desperate. "I woke up and had to figure out what happened and I just..."

"Shh." Adora's other hand wraps around Catra's bare waist. She feels herself pulled back against the Empress. "So worried about your failure you forget common decency." Adora notes, then she tilts Catra's head up and to the side. Leaning in the kiss the feline. A small whimper, mostly of fear, escapes Catra.

"You're not angry at me?" Catra asks quietly, meekly. 

Adora's hand caresses her cheek. "Oh Catra... I'm furious." She stares altogether too calmly. "You let a compromised clone into one of the most important facilities in the universe. You walked it into that room. You let it lead the rebels there. You let it kill you." Adora speaks evenly. The gentle caressing of Catra's face becomes a grip now. Slowly tightening. "you have compromised the most powerful weapon in the history of reality as we know it." Adora adds. Then sighs.

"Adora please! I didn't know! The clone was perfectly functional!" The panic is so palpable. So strong and real. Catra feels like she's on the verge of vomiting. That will only make it worse though.

"I know." Adora says, relaxing her hand slightly. "Prime and I reviewed all logs and memories. We have discussed what happened. He is very understanding of the situation." Adora notes. "Almost moreso than I am."

"I'll make it right Adora! I'll fix it!" She pleads. Please. Let her fix it. Let her make it right.

"No." Adora says simply. "No, it was my fault for letting you handle this task alone as is." She says. She releases Catra's face and strokes the cats hair. "I should have known better, I should have listened to Prime." She sighs again.

"Please." Catra whimpers. Trembling. 

"I've let you roam too free Catra. I've let you forget what you are." She pauses for a brief moment. "Mine." Then suddenly Catra feels force on her head. Her body buckling, rushing toward the terminal. Pain, a scream.

Then she feels herself rushing to the ground as the gestation pod releases her. She gasps and sputters, and this time curls up on the floor


	32. Chapter 32

Horde Prime had to admit that his Empress' emotional turmoil at the current situation was in its own way amusing. The poor woman, so new to her rightful place as the second most powerful person in the universe. The entire sight was almost cute. Adora nearly trembling in rage at the situation, that pet Catra trembling in fear to the side of them. It makes sense, the most powerful weapon in the universe, her weapon, disabled by some rebels.

Ah to be young.

"Darling." Prime finally speaks, reaching out to stroke their pet cat as he does. Watching her flinch away from him. It makes him smile. Adora has done so well with this one. "Do not let this setback defeat your composition." He states simply. "it is unbecoming."

Adora actually glares at him. Glares! At him! The audacity of it! It's exciting really! A creature so powerful that she can glare and know that she can get away with it. In any other the audacity would be ugly, in her though? Delectable. "What has happened is unacceptable. The breach of security, the disarming of our weapon, the sheer incredulousness of it!" She seethes.

"You underestimate yourself." Prime says calmly. Leaving the cat to approach his Bride, smiling at her as he reaches out to take her hands. "You are Adora, Empress. Feared and Respected by the universe over." 

She takes a deep breath, calming herself. She just wants to be told she's worth something, and she is. Prime loves to look upon this visage before him, the power of the big bang itself flowing through her veins as raw energy for her to wield.

"If you were simply that weapon then I would have had no interest in you Adora." He adds. "Together we will determine a solution. Your princesses were always a weak link in the design as is. We will replace this missing one."

Adora smiles now, and meets his gaze. "Thank you, Prime."

"Of course. I do so... Adora... You." He grins at his own joke, his Mandibles opening happily. Adora actually Snickers. 

Ah to be young. Such a lovely and terrible time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The worst possible thing is if Adora and Prime actually love each other.


	33. Chapter 33

"Enjoying yourself?" Hordak's voice has an air of self satisfaction in it as he asks. He's such a-

"Nnrrgh" is how Entrapta actually responds, her talons digging into the table she's on top of. Her many tendrils wrapped around her, holding her there, some of them slipped into her sex as others carress her body. Metal, fabric, latex, a hive of machines at her beck and call, writhing and fucking her.

"I don't believe that is any known language." Hordak replies with a smirk, standing by her side and watching her. "Though I feel confident translating it as an affirmative."

Entrapta feels her muscles tensing, twisting. Both her original components and her many alien grafts squirm in pleasured synchronicity. Her cheeks splitting open and her jaw opening wide as she moans openly into her lab.

Hordak is leaning at her side. "If I'm an extension of your psyche, and so are these many limbs, then it's as if I still get to fuck you." He notes idly. "Not to mention how much of my body is part of you now..."

Entrapta begins to laugh even as she drives her pleasure higher. He's right. At this point they're fucking each other. These machines, her hallucinations, her amalgam nature. 

The thought of it washes through her. In this way she and Hordak are still making love to one another. It's wonderful. Beautiful. It's fascinating. 

She screams happily through the lab, not caring if her soundproofing is good enough or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so beginneth chapters about lovin'


	34. Chapter 34

Bow finds himself leaning against a wall in a corridor of the ship. Running his hands over his head. Trying to decompress. For a moment everything is okay. The ship is all functional, they have a decent crew, they actually dealt a major blow to Adora. Yet he can scarcely celebrate. He can feel the weight of everything on his shoulders.

While his eyes are closed and his head tilted up, as if trying to get above water, he hears the voice. Lonnie. "Hey." She speaks gruffly, causing him to look back down at her. He manages a small smile.

"Hey Lonnie? Everything okay?" He quietly dreads asking. Last time something wasn't okay he got to learn that Entrapta had turned herself into some sort of hybrid monster. 

"Yeah." She says simply. Then leans on the wall beside Bow. "Just thought I'd check up on you." She adds. 

Internally Bow feels relief, then curiosity. "Check on me? How did you even know where I was?..."

"I asked Joe. You know the ship has sensors all over right?" She quirks a brow at him.

"I'd never thought about it..." Bow speaks slowly. He hadn't. That's kind of creepy now that he does though.

Lonnie laughs slightly. "Hey uh..." She rubs the back of her head and glances away. "Okay so I don't know how princesses do this sort of thing, but in the Horde we've always been pretty direct and uh..."

Now Bow furrows his brow. "Are you sure everything is okay Lonnie?..." 

She groans. "Yeah everything's fine! Okay listen do you wanna fuck?" She asks bluntly, pulling herself off the wall to turn and look him in the eyes.

Bow feels his face go red. "What?!" He squeeks out.

"Do you wanna fuck or not? We're both good fighters and look pretty hot so I just thought, Yaknow." Lonnie shrugs, her face is red 

"This really is direct…" Bow notes awkwardly.

"Yes or no rebel boy?"

There's a long pause before he answers her. He has to really think about it, is that okay? It's not like they're together, but she just said the horde was always direct so obviously it's okay for her. Is it okay for him? He likes Lonnie that's true, and he definitely needs something good to distract him. With a smile Bow replies. "Yeah. Yeah I do actually."


	35. Chapter 35

Adora's thighs squeeze around Catra's head as the Feline consort works eagerly. She really is so good at this. Adora's hand strokes her hair, her thighs pressing a bit more to get that delightful whimper of fear and pain out of Catra. Ah there it is. There's something exhilarating about the fact she could crush Catra right here.

The whole experience is helped by the fact Prime is helping hold Catra in place while he fucks her. Garnering regular gasps and whimpers from the consort. His hands holding her in place, talons digging into her flesh and drawing blood. 

The first time they did this Catra could barely manage to get a single flick over Adora's clit. Now? She's learned how to be fucked to breaking by the Emperor while tending to her Empress.

"Ah Catra." Adora coos. "You're doing so well." She compliments. "This you can do right."

Adora catches Prime smirking. She knows he's thinking the same. He does so love to play with Catra even if he isn't so open about it. Adora has seen the look of satisfaction on his face when he gets to drop her to the floor. The way he watches her twitch there. She watches him do it tonight too. Feeling herself brought to climax only to get to come down to the delightful visage of Prime finishing inside Catra and letting her fall off of them. 

As always he watches her for a moment before climbing on top of Adora and kissing her. "You did indeed choose well for your prime consort." He notes.

"Thank you." She adds, wrapping her arm around his neck and pulling him onto her for another kiss.


	36. Chapter 36

"Do not worry about justifying this activity to yourself Micah." The voice speaks happily. It's never not happy. "You need not even try to reconcile it with your hatred of my kind." It adds as Micah is pushed back, talons trailing down his chest. Leaving angry red marks as it scratches. 

Micah isn't entirely sure how he made it to this point. Too much time on the bridge. Too much time talking and building a rapport with a creature that he finds despicable. Too much willingness to celebrate their rescue of Frosta. Too much desire for the touch of anyone after so many years alone and untouched.

The pink eyed clone looks up at the once King and smiles with those sharp teeth. "I was created to serve, and I am more than happy to help you relieve some pent up stress." He notes with his standard pleasant tone, starting to bite at Micah's stomach and trail downward. 

The sorcerer has a moment of wanting to stop this, to reaffirm his disgust with these clones and their creator.

As the long forked tongue of the clone finds his shaft, tasting him and coaxing him harder, Micah forgets that moment.

Lips wrap around him, an impossibly dextrous tongue coiling and stroking alongside them as the clones head bobs. Micah finds his breath quickening, his heart speeding up alongside his arousal.

The clone makes pleased murmurs, happy vibrations transmitted from its mouth to Micah's length. It elicits a groan from the former King despite his best efforts to maintain some pointless composure. All the while long talons stroke down his sides, digging into his hips. When he looks down he catches the Clones gaze, watching with predatory glee as the feeling of it all washes through Micah. He feels his cheeks redden.

And he swears the damn clones ass is shaking side to side happily. 

And the clone doesn't relent, happily sucking him until finally Micah's arousal crashes over the edge and his orgasm washes over him. He feels himself cum into the clones mouth, and then he feels the clone happily gulp it down.

He looks down as Joe finally releases him, sitting back up with a smile, white fluid having leaked partially out of the clones mouth. The clone actually grabs the nearest piece of clothing to wipe his mouth clean. "Deepest Apologies Micah." The clone speaks with that ever present smile and polite cadence. "I'm afraid I wasn't quite able to get all of it."


	37. Chapter 37

"Do you remember when we first laid down and slept together?" Entrapta's voice speaks quietly. Lost in the sounds of her terminals and machines. Some fans she has set up whirring, storage drives spinning and seeking as her computers run their calculations. The occasional beep. All to a backdrop of the low hum of their ships engines.

She's laying in the little cot she has made herself in the back corner. It's kind of a nest really. Entrapta has made a point of swiping blankets wherever they go in order to build up her sleeping corner.

She's naked. Even the work rig made up of her many mechanical tendrils is currently disconnected, undergoing automated maintenance. She's got a small module attached to her spine, the compact external life support to sustain some of the redundant organ systems she's kept. 

"It was after you made my exoskeleton." Hordak replies. He's behind her, out of sight. It sounds like he's in the cot with her but... 

She knows better.

"That was the first time I'd slept with anyone." She notes. "You're still the only person I have with."

"You were not the first I shared a bed with." Hordak notes. "But you were the first I was comfortable doing so with."

Entrapta sighs. "I wish you were alive." Her voice is barely a whisper.

"I am sorry." Is all he can reply with.

It makes tears well in her eyes. It makes her remember the moment. Adora's sword running through him, angling up to puncture and slice into his chest cavity. The way he sputtered and coughed up blood before simply going limp.

"I wish you hadn't died." She says again, this time with tears flowing, with a tremble and a sniffle. Her clawed hands moving to wipe her eyes.

"I am so sorry." Hordak whispers back, sounding distraught as well.

She lays there, crying, unable to find rest, for some time. The weight of the world feels so heavy on her. Everything that's happened, to her, to her friends. Everything she's done to herself. Alien claws and synthetic leg musculature flex as she curls herself up tighter. It feels like eternity, laying there distraught.

Then Hordak speaks. "Frosta is coming." He says simply. 

Entrapta wipes her eyes and sits up. Nodding a little. "Thank you." She whispers as she moves to grab a stolen robe and pull it over her body. Sure enough there's a knock on her locked door, and Entrapta sends a remote command to open through Hordak's old augmentations. Her augmentations.

The girl walks in, looking awkward. "Um. Entrapta?" 

Entrapta steps through the mess of a lab and smiles. Sniffling just a little. "Did you need something Frosta?" 

"She looks frightened." Hordak notes 

"Yeah um... I was trying to sleep but I'm getting itchy where some of the stuff was connected to me? Could you... Take a look at that?" Frosta asks.

"Frightened of us maybe." Hordak adds.

Entrapta smiles and nods. "Sure! Sit down, I'll get my tools."

Frosta finds a seat, sitting awkwardly on it. Entrapta does as she says, returning to examine the girl. It's all rather routine. They don't talk much. Sure enough there was some irritation on the regenerated skin but nothing serious. 

It's when Frosta leaves that Entrapta's mind clicks over. She turns to look at the image of Hordak in her mind. "How did you know she was coming?..."

"The augmentations. I saw her on the proximity sensors." He states simply. A perfectly reasonable response. It's the same way Entrapta can give door commands and other things to the ship. Except there's a problem.

"I wasn't accessing it though." She says slowly. Her eyes darting around, thinking back. The conversations, the activities. Her time with him. "You never told me that I was the first you were comfortable laying with." She adds. "I thought I made that up but..." His ability to help with surgery, pointing out things she hadn't noticed. His noting conclusions she hadn't come to while working. His persistence in her mind when she was blacking out.

Those are all supposed to be quirks of her mind. Tricks she's playing on herself. He's an extension of her. He's a hallucination, she knows that she, has to know that.

Entrapta clutches her head for a moment as she pours over the data. Then she stares at her hand, at the place where her flesh and Hordak's meet. At the techno organic structures holding them together.

Her compatibility interface...

"You used the same first ones tech from my exoskeleton to power it." Hordak speaks.

Entrapta shudders, her hand going to her chest. Above the pink crystal buried under her sternum. Then she looks back up at him. She chokes a half sob, half laugh.

"I was not sure myself, until now." He adds.

"It makes sense right? The crystal is basically a computer, and I did interface it with my nervous system." Entrapta speaks excitedly as she pushes things off of one of her terminals. The tears from earlier are forgotten, replaced with a certain joy, a definite excitement, and a deep fascination and curiosity. 

"Yes." Hordak agrees as he stands beside her. "Though it's so seamless even I was convinced at first that I was a mere hallucination." He hmms. "Or perhaps you're being convinced of it colored my perception."

"Because you're connected to my brain!" Entrapta finishes the thought. She begins to pull up her schematics, notes, everything. She has to be sure this makes sense. She has to be sure he's here. This can't just be an extension of the illusion.

"I truly don't think it is." Hordak notes. "I believe... You did it." 

"I saved you." She whispers, looking over the data with a growing grin. Then she turns to Hordak, looking at his smiling visage. She begins to laugh. "I did it!" She laughs louder. Then suddenly blinks "oh no! I used you for the interface! I can't take you out!"

"At least not yet." Hordak notes.

"But you need a body!"

"Eventually, perhaps." He half agrees.

"I want to hug you!" Entrapta clarifies.

That makes Hordak actually laugh. "And I you. Perhaps we can work out a system of some kind. For now I think not experimenting with the compatibility interface is the direction to go. I am quite comfortable as a figment of your imagination." He notes simply.

Entrapta nods, turning back to typing and murmuring. "Make robot body for Hordak..." As she puts it on her to-do list. "I have a lot of bones and stuff left from you. I can make a robot using your old body as the core too. Once we figure out how to separate you from me safely!" 

"Convenient."

It takes Entrapta awhile to calm down from her initial excitement. The moment her adrenaline has passed she passes right out. For the first time in what seems like eternity her sleep is peaceful, comfortable. Entrapta is not plagued by the visions of what happened to Hordak, or the memories of what Adora did to her. She can rest.

And when she awakens he's there, waking with her. When she asks if he sleeps he notes that he thinks he does. When she's asleep the world dims for him, he feels her dreams. So in a way yes. Another fascinating note to jot down.

Also something to perhaps leverage? Let him stay awake to do science while she sleeps? Another project.

Entrapta locks herself away again, letting the rest of her rebel friends do what they need to do as she works. As she spends time with Hordak. She wants to tell everyone but Hordak points out they won't believe her.

It is while working on her rig, deep in thought, that she finally speaks her mind on something new though. On something important. 

"We need to rescue Catra." She says quietly. 

"Oh?" Hordak asks with a frown "for what possible reason?"

"She gave you back to me." Entrapta says slowly as she puts her tools down. "She... After Adora... Did things to me. Catra came and she gave you and the key to this ship over to me." 

Hordak doesn't respond to that, so Entrapta continues.

"She's done a lot of bad things but... I think she doesn't have it very good there. I think... I think she did that because she knew what happened... I think she knew because... It happens to her." Entrapta finds herself curling up involuntarily as she thinks of all of this.

"Then we will help her." Hordak speaks firmly. "We will draft a plan." 

She smiles just a little. "Thank you Hordak."


	38. Chapter 38

As the group, sans Entrapta who has been once more locked away in her lab, sit down for a small rebellion dinner as served by their resident clone Joe, he speaks up. "Hello everyone, I am quite happy to see you all could make time to join me for this meal!"

"Of course Joe!" Bow smiles. "You took the time to put this together. Somehow. I'm not actually sure how you did this."

Lonnie, sitting next to Bow, nods. "Yeah actually, how did you do this? What even is all of this!"

"You need not trouble yourselves with that!" Joe interjects. "Instead I have something else that you will need to trouble yourselves with."

Now Micah looks up. "Excuse me?"

Everyone sort of gives each other concerned looks. "What's up Joe?" Bow asks slowly.

The clone takes a breath, standing proper. "First of all let me extend my truly deepest apologies for any inconvenience this may cause, but after much thought and reflection while staring into the endless black void of despondos I have come to a conclusion. I find myself feeling that I have more in line within myself with the women I have encountered. Entrapta, Lonnie, Young Frosta. I see myself as a woman, like them."

The relief is palpable across the table. Bow smiles. "Oh! Okay! So want us to call you she and her and stuff?"

"Yes?" She smiles. Tilting her head a little. 

"Do you have a name you would like us to call you?" It's Kyle that asks the question.

The clone blinks her pink eyes. "I had not thought of that... Perhaps... Jo, but with no E."

"That works!" Kyle says happily before finally just turning to enjoy his food.

Jo does a little happy clap of her hands. A wide grin on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was suggested we make Jo trans and I could NOT give that up. It's wonderful and you can't take her from me.


	39. Chapter 39

Eventually Entrapta does leave her lab. She needs to inform everyone about her plan after all. She makes her way toward the bridge first, she wants to make sure she has at least some backup in this.

"Well that is different." Hordak notes as she walks in and sees the clone she reprogrammed. Sitting there in a modified clone uniform, no skirt now, just pants and a top. Pink eyes are met with similarly pink lips and pink dipped talons. Those are notably somewhat glittery. 

Entrapta ooohs. "You look different!" She notes.

The clone turns to her "Oh Entrapta! Yes. I realized that I am, for no more blunt way to describe this, a woman. I go by Jo now. The same as Joe but without an E."

"Good for her." Hordak comments. "deciding on a name is very difficult. It took me months of thought."

"I'll make a note of it Jo!" Entrapta says. "but that's not what I'm here for right now!" She adds.

"I would think not." The clone smiles. "What is it you need Entrapta?"

"I want to go save Catra! And I want to know if you'll help me?" She already knows the answer, but it's good to make sure.

"Of course." Jo says. "I would never turn down a mission from you, Entrapta. I was made for them, after all."

Entrapta smiles. "Thanks Jo! I'm not sure if the others will help so it's nice to know I have you!"

"I am pleased to hear it." Jo replies.

"Is she wearing glittery eyeliner?" Hordak quietly questions. "where did she get that?... I want that..."

Entrapta can't stop herself from looking back at Hordak and giggling. That however causes Jo to take note and comment. "Is everything alright Entrapta?"

Entrapta blinks and looks back, frozen for a moment. How does she deal with this? How does she brush this off. Hordak's own comment of "well this is unfortunate." Does not help things at all. Until Entrapta realizes what must be done and finally speaks.

"I have a technological recreation of Hordak running alongside my own mind and he makes comments about things that are going on." Entrapta just blurts out.

Jo quirks her head, then nods. "Ah I see. That is rather fascinating, and I must congratulate you on bringing him back as you had wanted."

"Thank you" Entrapta sighs in relief. "Don't tell the others I don't think they'll take it as well."

"Definitely not." She replies happily. "I imagine our fellows would be quite perturbed!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hordak likes makeup


	40. Chapter 40

It was Kyle that declared he would help first. Very quickly too. He didn't argue. He didn't question. He stood up and said he'd help Entrapta save Catra. It was surprising to say the least. Entrapta had planned to convince Bow and then let Bow convince everyone else.

Nope.

Kyle.

That's fine though, it speeds things up and allows them to field ideas. They can get into the throneship. They've done it before, back before Adora turned on them. The hard part will be surviving long enough to retrieve Catra, and retrieve her in a permanent way.

That is the true problem. 

Frosta was a smash and grab, her still developing brain made their normal methods of retaining control not work. Catra though? Adora will kill her and decant another clone. 

The best method might in fact be to destroy all data on Catra as they retrieve her. They might be able to do the same for the princesses too, and give themselves a window of opportunity to save the others 

This could end up the most important mission of the rebellion.

Entrapta has her goal though, she doesn't care as much about the rest.

And as she stands on the bridge waiting for their translation back into the universe she can't help but feel worried about it.


	41. Chapter 41

"I cannot believe I understand what it was like to be you and Hordak right now." Adora scoffs as she scrolls through a data tablet with one hand. The other is petting Catra's head. The lithe feline in question is sitting on her knees beside Adora, and the perfect height for pets. It's the best place to be these days. Silent and at her side, acting as nothing more than a plaything. It's safe. Even pleasant in a way.

She feels broken, weak. Like nothing. She is nothing.

There's another rumble deep in the ship. The rebels are attacking, Adora has been watching their movements and debating on getting directly involved. She and Prime both suspect that they think they have some weapon to use against one of them so they're largely waiting at this stage, letting the rebels die fighting clones.

Then it happens. The loud beeping. It startles Catra, and nearly deafens her. It's coming from her neck. The collar. Catra begins to panic. Her eyes dart up to Adora, who's looking back with wide eyes. Catra actually lets out a mew of fear as she starts to claw at her collar. No please no. Get it off. Not like this. Whatever this is no please.

Then suddenly she feels Adora's hand on the back of her neck, she feels the collar release, and she sees Adora throw it. The thing explodes a moment later, not a particularly massive explosion but definitely big enough to remove a head. Catra slumps, panting heavily, trembling. Then she hears Adora. "You're okay." The hand pets Catra's head. "You haven't done anything bad lately." Then Adora stands. "I need to go check on your clones, someone got into the system..." She growls in anger 

Catra can only nod slowly. Her hand feeling at her neck.

It feels like she's sitting there for an eternity. Feeling where the bomb has been wrapped around her neck. All this time. A kill switch on her all this time, that Adora or Prime could throw at their pleasure. It beeped. They designed it to beep. To let her know what was happening. The world feels distant. Another reality of her life compounding atop all of the others.

Then suddenly she stands up. She has to see what's going on. She doesn't even know why. Maybe just some vestige of the woman she used to be clawing its way to the surface, begging her to take some initiative. Any initiative. Adora's geneforge. That's where she'll be, where whatever is going on will be.

So Catra makes her way there. She walks evenly. Her ears ignore the alarm sounds signalling danger aboard the ship. Signalling that the rebels are here fighting. When she starts to approach her destination she barely gives the clones on the ground a glance. Adora was right, someone got into the system here.

It's when she steps into the chamber that she stops. Her eyes widen in surprise. Adora is there, sword gleaming and slicing through the air. Waves of energy loosing from it and tearing through machinery. 

Then her target. A hive of mechanical tendrils, a mask with glowing eyes, armor that... Isn't unlike Hordak's old armor... Claws... Purple hair... It's Entrapta but...

Wrong.

And she's fighting Adora. She's keeping up with Adora. At first Catra can barely track the battle, the way they move, the speed and power of it. Then her training starts to rise up in her, that woman she used to be. Her own speed and strength. Her own capabilities. That's right she's a soldier, a Horde soldier. She had almost let herself forget, let that fact get buried away.

A quick glance around, a clone on the ground. She takes his weapon, looking at it for a moment. She becomes acutely aware of the collar that is not on her neck.

So Catra turns herself to the battle, and with the weapon punches a hole through Adora.

She fires a second time. This time there's no hole. it hits adora and the energy disperses. The Empress spins around, and her eyes widen. "Catra?!" There is a mixture of hurt and sheer rage. Suddenly Catra's recent life comes flooding back, Catra drops the weapons. Trembling. Fear crashes through get.What has she done? "How DARE YOU!" Adora shouts.

Then a tendril stabs it's way through the steadily healing hole in Adora's torso. She looks down in surprise before she's thrown around the room, crashing through machines. Other tendrils grab. Entrapta pummeling the Empress in physical blows and weapons fire before throwing her to the back of the chamber, her body broken and mangled. Then Entrapta turns back to Catra. "Catra! I was wondering where you were!" She says as she moves to the primary terminal for the geneforge, tendrils plugging in and interfacing with it. "Let me purge you from the system then we'll go!" 

Catra can't respond. She can barely understand. Her body doesn't even want to stand, it wants to fall over. In fear and despair. What has she done? She's destroyed what's left of her life. She betrayed the Empress. She-

Suddenly feels herself getting picked up by Entrapta. "Come on Catra we need to go!" Entrapta says.

Catra stares for a moment. Then manages to gasp out "The Sword!"

Entrapta turns toward where she tossed Adora! "Oh you're right that's a good idea we should take that!" Unfortunately at that moment things begin to explode both in front of and behind them. Entrapta looks around "well that isn't good."

"Fuck the sword then!" Catra suddenly screams. "Just! We have to go now!" Her old self rising up like a wave once again. She could kneel to Adora and Prime and beg for forgiveness sure. She could try to make this right. But right now she's in some sort of terrible mutant cyborg princesses arms and honestly this is basically already the bottom so...

"Also a good idea!" Entrapta yells as she climbs upward and into the ship's ductwork.


	42. Chapter 42

"Two about to round the corner." Hordak speaks, letting Entrapta know to change her positioning as she heads back to the recall point. He's been with her this entire mission. He can feel his siblings through the shared augments given to them by prime, but they just feel another clone. It gives her an incredible information advantage during all of this.

She has Catra in her arms, carrying the former royal Consort. There was a time when Catra would have been trying to squirm out of Entrapta's arm, trying to be independent and escape under her own power. Right now though? She's just letting herself be carried. 

"That's not like her." Hordak notes in Entrapta's mind.

"Yes. Different." Entrapta speaks out loud. Then hrmms and glances down at Catra whose eyes are looking up at Entrapta now. 

"What... What was that?" Catra asks. She sounds almost nervous in her questioning, but clearly curious.

"I was replying to Hordak." Entrapta states simply as they drop down into a clear corridor properly. 

Catra's eyes widen now. "What?"

"Don't tell the others." Entrapta adds.

"You shouldn't even tell her." Hordak notes, suddenly standing ahead of them and looking bland.

"He's... The crystal you gave me let me bring him back, I'll explain to you later but please don't tell the others okay? Only Jo knows."

Catra is quiet for a moment, then nods. "Okay."

Overall the exfiltration doesn't give them much trouble relative to the scale of the operation they just performed.. Yes the ship did suffer notable damage while avoiding the fleet, and basically everyone suffering injuries that need tending to. Overall though? It went well. 

Luckily for Entrapta Jo offers to be Nurse Jo once they're in Despondos, which lets the princess retreat to her lab with Catra. The moment the door is closed Entrapta turns to the cat to smile at her.

And finds Catra collapsing to her knees and sobbing. 

"Catra?..." Entrapta asks quietly, stepping forward slowly. She doesn't know what to do. She's not good with people crying...

"Just sit there with her." Hordak states. It makes Entrapta look over at him confused, so he elaborates. "Just... What we think she's been through? Just be there." 

Entrapta nods quietly and does just that, dropping down to sit on the floor beside Catra quietly. Concern on her features, wanting to help proactively but not being able to. There's no proactive solution now. She knows.

The knowing makes Entrapta curl up a little too, knees to her chest and cheek on her knees. Looking past Catra to see Hordak sitting on the other side of her. It makes Entrapta frown more as the reality dawns on her. A question forming that she doesn't even know if she should want the answer to.

"Yes." Hordak speaks simply. Answering the forming thought. "I… understand it too."

It's happened to all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primedak happened in this AU too, in the past. Hordak thought he was favored for a reason.


	43. Chapter 43

Adora gasps awake. Sitting up in a pool of nutrient liquid, naked and cold. There's no drop from a pod for her. Immediately she's aware of Prime at her side, his hand reaches out to stroke her hair. "Welcome back my Adora." He says smoothly. "You had quite an accident."

"They killed me." She hisses out. "Catra killed me." She's already seething. 

"I suspected as much, her cloning data is as gone as she is so I could only assume..." He notes with a flourish of his claws.

"The Sword?" She asks as she thinks over everything.

"Safe, and polished!" Prime smiles.

Now Adora begins to climb out of the pool, tubes in her back disconnecting. "Good. I'm going to run that ungrateful cat through with it." Her anger is immensely apparent. She feels hurt, betrayed. What more could Catra have wanted? She had given Catra everything! The universe itself was theirs! Just like Catra always wanted!

"Indeed my darling." Prime speaks, standing up with her. "We can make you a replacement in the meantime, something to your exact specifications."

Adora nods, stepping out and grabbing a robe from a clone attendant. "Thank you, Prime."

"Of course! I understand your frustration perfectly well, and quite frankly your righteous anger is very alluring." He notes.

That makes Adora smirk. "You'll get to see a lot more of it."

"Wonderful."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There probably won't be a sequel.


End file.
